Police: Man In Jail After Ordering Dogs To Attack Officer

A man is in the Kennebec County Jail at this hour after police in Waterville say he ordered his dogs to sic a police officer who was trying to question him. Waterville Deputy Police Chief Charles Rumsey says the incident happened just after midnight on Friday on Water Street in Waterville.Rumsey said 33-year-old Brian Charette, who is listed as a transient, was being sought by police after they suspected he committed an assault earlier in the night.When the officer tried to speak with Charette about the assault he told the officer “if you come near me these dogs are gonna bite you.” “He then grabbed the dogs leash and and kind of aggressively moved toward the officer pushing the leash and the dogs out toward the officer,” Rumsey said. “In order to protect himself from what he felt was an imminent assault, he deployed his pepper spray and pepper sprayed Charette and both of the dogs and was then able to get the dogs leashes away from Charette and then after a few minutes was able to get him under arrest and placed into handcuffs.”Rumsey said the Waterville Police have a history of responding to complaints about Charette and his dogs.Charette was out on bail at the time of this incident and has a lengthy criminal record. He’s being held at the Kennebec County Jail. He’s charged with attempted aggravated assault, assault, refusing to submit to an officer and violating conditions of release.Rumsey said they’re consulting with Waterville’s Animal Control Officer to determine if any other violations occurred.”We need to look at whether there’s any other action we need to look at taking with respect to him and how he’s using these animals when he’s out in the street.”The dogs, which are believed to be pit bull mix breeds, are now in the custody of a friend.